A councillor has vowed to boycott Rugby's main shopping centre - because he is no longer allowed to smoke there.

Bryan Levy, Labour county council member for Rugby West and a former borough council leader, believes the ban - which came into effect this week to coincide with No Smoking Day - is an infringement of smokers' civil liberties.

Clock Towers centre bosses took the decision to go permanently smoke-free following a number of complaints from non-smokers.

Sixty per cent of people who expressed an opinion in a recent survey agreed or strongly agreed that the centre should become smoke free.

Fears were expressed that small children could be burned by those who carry lit cigarettes down by their sides, and over the increase in fire risk from carelessly discarded butts.

But Cllr Levy said: "It's the purple purist attitude coming out again. The precinct ceilings are high enough for the smoke to rise out of harm's way.

"I think fairness to all should apply here - it's just overkill. If I can get the things that I need elsewhere in town then I shall do that instead of going into the Clock Towers precinct."

Centre manager Susan Mendoza said she hoped the ban would make the centre more appealing.